Fiji Seva Summary
January – March, 2019
The youth on Fiji Islands had taken part in several Seva activities from January 2019 until present date.
The Health on Wheels initiative by Prema Foundation visited Waidara District School earlier this year. This village is home to 400 residents. As informed by local community worker, Mrs Renu Snowsill, many of the homes do not have proper toilets and needed health services. After an initial visit by one member of the Prema Foundation, a medical screening initiative was organised. Other donors were involved in getting the toilets constructed.
In January 2019, the youth had also been involved in collecting blood - “liquid love”. Working together with the Fiji National Blood Services Department from the Ministry of Health, they conducted a day long blood drive at Tappoocity Plaza in the heart of Suva and the western part of the islands at Sugar City.
Sai Prema Foundation has been working with Dilkusha Home to provide the needs of the children through medical and dental camps. They installed wall fans in the dormitory and have held annual Christmas parties for the last few years. In February 2019, initial medical camp was followed by free medical check-ups at the Sanjeevani Medical Centre. As many as 23 children and five staff members were given free general medical check-up by staff members of the Medical Centre along with assistance from volunteers.
On Saturday, February 16, 2019, volunteers, health professionals and members of Sai Prema Foundation set out early in the morning to organise a medical outreach program. The ‘Health on Wheels’ medical camp was conducted in Namara District School in Rural Rewa, Fiji Islands.
The success of the previous blood donation had led to another journey to collect ‘liquid love’. This time the youth in coordination with the Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services conducted a day long Blood Drive at Damodar City Centre, a busy suburban shopping centre located in Suva. This campaign successfully collected 35 pints of fresh blood that would be used to save up to 105 lives.
On March 9, volunteers, health/medical professionals and members of Sai Prema Foundation, Fiji held the biggest Health on Wheels medical camp ever, for a record 209 patients who attended the camp!
The Seva was conducted in Navicula District School in Rural Tailevu, Fiji Islands. A lot of different health specialties joined the camp that day, including paediatrician, dentist, pharmacists, obstetrician, optometrist, lab technicians, senior physicians and general practitioners. Dr Maryanne Kora’ai, a paediatric doctor from CMW Hospital conducted an Echo screening for all children from 0-16 years, to detect any heart abnormalities. Out of 77 children who were screened, two were diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease and two were borderline cases of the same.
